Oct. 22, 2005
Final Stats
Sacramento, CA --- Idaho State head coach Larry Lewis was growing tired of hearing that the Bengals had never won in Sacramento. Well, he doesn't have to worry about that one anymore. In a game that was pretty, the Bengals forced six Sacramento State turnovers, including four in the opening quarter, as the Bengals ended a six-game road conference losing streak with a 27-17 win over the Hornets in Sacramento.
The game was sloppy throughout, with the teams combining for eight turnovers, and a pair of defensive scores, along with 16 punts and 15 penalties.
Nursing a 17-3 halftime lead, the Hornets scored on their first second half possession to cut the lead to 17-10, and then forced an ISU punt. With Sacramento State driving for a potential tying touchdown, Buck Buchanan candidate Jeff Charleston came to the rescue. He sacked Hornet quarterback Chris Hurd, forcing a fumble, which after eluded seemingly every lineman on both teams, the ball was scooped up by Anthony Melvin, who raced 53 yards untouched for a back-breaking score to make it 24-10. Melvin earlier in the game picked off Chris Hurd, only the third interception by a Hornet quarterback this season.
Charleston, in his first game since being named to the Buchanan Battle list on October 12, had two sacks, the aforementioned forced fumble, plus a fumble recovery on a fourth-and-inches play in the first quarter.
After Melvin's score, Zach Raphael forced Sacramento State's fifth fumble, and Terrence Calloway fell on it, leading to a second Johnson field goal, making it 27-10. Sacramento State could only get on the board on defense after that, as Brandon Smith picked off Luke Sniewski and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. However, the Bengals ran the final 7:06 off the clock to seal the win.
The Bengals got a good omen on the opening kickoff when Quinton Freeman forced and recovered a fumble, setting up Jaret Johnson's opening field goal, giving ISU the game's first score for the first time since September 17.
After Sacramento State tied the game at 3-3, the Bengals took the lead for good as receiver Eddie Thompson lined up and quarterback on a fourth-and-1 play, and ran nine yards before optioning the ball to Josh Barnett, who raced for the final 20 yards and a touchdown. Barnett recorded his third career 100-yard day, going for 122. Sniewski started for Matt Hagler, who was held out of his starting spot for an unspecified violation of team rules. Luke went 12-of-27 for 75 yards and a touchdown, plus two interceptions.
Neither team could muster anything in the second quarter, combining for seven punts, a botched field goal, and an interception. In fact, Sacramento State didn't complete a pass in the second quarter, and ISU outgained Sacramento State 55-26 in the quarter. The only scoring threat was a 31-yard field goal attempt by Idaho State, but holder Matt Hagler bobbled the snap, and then was sacked to end the play.
NOTES: The win also ended a six-game road losing streak for ISU ... Idaho State recovered two fumbles in the first seven minutes and three in the first quarter after recovering two in the first six games ... the 17 first quarter points were the most for ISU since scoring 17 against Montana-Western in the 2003 opener ... ISU scored first for the first time in four games, and just the third time in their last 16 ... ISU limited Sacramento State to just 223 yards of offense
